Penis Envy

Anxiety about body image is a universal problem. While women may focus their self-doubts on their breasts or hips, men tend to worry most about the size of their sexual organ — their penis.

To help ease the anxiety, researchers at Kings College London set out to establish the most accurate and comprehensive ‘normal range’ for penis dimensions. To do so, the scientists amalgamated penis size data from 17 studies, featuring standardized measurements from some 15,521 male subjects.

Scientists found that the average length of a flaccid penis was 3.6 inches, while the the average length of a flaccid stretched penis was 5.2 inches. The average length of an erect penis was 5.1 inches. The average circumference of a flaccid penis was 3.6 inches, while the average circumference of an erect penis was 4.5 inches.

The men included in the 17 studies were of varying ages, weights and sizes. Researchers found a small correlation between height and penis size.

“We believe these graphs will help doctors reassure the large majority of men that the size of their penis is in the normal range,” lead study author Dr. David Veale explained in a press release. “We will also use the graphs to examine the discrepancy between what a man believes to be their position on the graph and their actual position, or what they think they should be.”

The study is the first ever systematic survey of penis length data. Researchers hope the new data and the associated graphs will help inform professionals offering support to men dealing with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and the related problem of “small penis anxiety.”

“BDD causes a person to have a distorted view of how they look and they can spend an obsessive amount of time worrying about their appearance,” said Dr. Martin Baggaley, medical director at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

“This can take over someone’s life and cause a great deal of distress,” Baggaley added. “Hopefully this new study will help reassure those many men who are concerned with their penis size and assist clinicians dealing with BDD.”This article courtesy of United Press International.